twenty second Jun 2025
Studying Time: 11 minutes
When you’ve got a great deal of muddle that you just’re dying to eliminate, then take into account promoting it on eBay.
eBay makes it simple to eliminate undesirable gadgets. However whereas it’s an incredible platform to make additional money, it may be intimidating for first-time customers.
Listed here are 20 important ideas that you just’ll have to confidently begin earning money on eBay.
1. Begin your eBay public sale costs at 99p
If you happen to begin your public sale at 99p, you’ll appeal to extra potential patrons as a result of many individuals seek for gadgets by lowest worth. What’s extra, this will even maintain your charges down – which implies more cash in your pocket.
After all, there’s some threat right here. It’s doable that even a invaluable merchandise occurs to solely have one purchaser, who, by means of sheer luck, will get your merchandise for 99p when it’s price rather more!
There’s a tradeoff: so by no means put one thing at 99p should you’d be gutted to promote it for that a lot. Use your individual judgement and do analysis to see what related gadgets are promoting for.
2. Perceive free listings
eBay now permits personal sellers 300 free listings a month on nearly all classes, and it’s 35p an inventory after that. If you wish to pay additional to advertise, it’ll nonetheless value one thing – however may web you a greater viewers to spice up your revenue. You may set a reserve worth which implies the merchandise gained’t promote except it reaches that worth, however you’ll pay 4% of that reserve whether or not the merchandise sells or not.
On some gadgets, like vehicles and automobiles, eBay will let you’re itemizing your merchandise free of charge whenever you put it reside, you’ll nonetheless pay a last worth charge. That is 10% of the ultimate value of the merchandise, together with postage. There will even be a PayPal charge should you use that to get your money.
It’s not lots, however one thing to concentrate on when taking a look at how a lot you’ll truly make on every sale. Once you arrange your promoting account, the best methodology to pay these charges is by direct debit every month. You’ll get an bill of how a lot you owe.
You gained’t pay a last worth charge in case your merchandise doesn’t promote. So if it fails to draw any patrons, attempt once more. You may select to automate this course of by ticking the field to permit relisting if it doesn’t promote. It might be that the appropriate purchaser wasn’t round on the time, so don’t quit!
Learn extra about last worth charges on eBay’s web site.
3. Obtain the eBay app
If you happen to promote typically it’s price downloading eBay’s free app. Utilizing it to put up listings is fast and simple – and it means which you could keep watch over your listings and reply to queries on the go. You may take images, create your itemizing, and maintain monitor of how auctions are going multi function place.
4. Make your ebay itemizing stand out
With 1.7 billion reside gadgets on eBay, making your itemizing stand out is essential.
When patrons seek for an merchandise, eBay solely seems for phrases within the itemizing’s title, so at all times use key phrases equivalent to model names, color, and sizes. Double verify spellings so folks can discover your gadgets!
5. Be unique
A bit little bit of copying and pasting with a couple of changes and tweaks will prevent a great deal of effort and time when writing up descriptions for merchandise. However by no means copy descriptions or footage wholesale, as this infringes different sellers’ copyright. You might additionally unintentionally embody harm that isn’t in your merchandise however is on the opposite particular person’s, which reduces its worth!
Have a look at different profitable sellers to see how they describe their merchandise and be taught from them.
If you happen to promote a number of the identical factor, write up your individual template and reserve it on a file in your laptop or telephone. Then you possibly can copy and paste it, fill within the particulars for the merchandise (measurement, color, and so forth.), add images and also you’re just about carried out!
6. Worth it proper
Gadgets will be listed as an public sale or a set worth. Along with following eBay pricing suggestions, you can even search accomplished eBay listings and take a look at different related gadgets that can assist you select a beginning worth for fixed-price or auction-style itemizing.
public sale listings
Public sale listings are nice should you’re not sure of the worth of your merchandise or you will have distinctive and hard-to-find gadgets that might appeal to demand and spur a bidding struggle.
Though the ultimate worth could also be unpredictable, should you get a number of individuals who actually need your merchandise, they might attempt to outbid one another, elevating the ultimate worth.
Bear in mind by no means to place a beginning worth that’s decrease than you’re prepared to promote for! But when it’s one thing not too invaluable that’s simply mendacity round anyway, an public sale will be the technique to go.
Be sure you’ll be round when listings finish to put up the gadgets throughout the timeframe you’ve agreed to.
Mounted-price listings
If you wish to make a sure worth on one thing, although, go for a set worth sale.
This can be a protected choice should you completely don’t need to promote your merchandise for lower than a sure worth. You may tick the ‘permit affords’ button should you may be prepared to barter, or go away it off in case your worth is agency.
Some sellers favor shopping for by means of fixed-price listings as a result of they don’t have to attend for an public sale to finish. Simply ensure you’re obtainable to put up the merchandise throughout the time restrict you’ve agreed to in your itemizing. With a fixed-price itemizing, it may promote at any time whereas it’s reside on eBay.
7. eBay is all about timing
When beginning an public sale, you possibly can select whether or not it lasts one, three, 5, seven or ten days.
Alternatively, get into the behavior of itemizing your seven-day auctions every Sunday night time to maximise your bids on an ongoing foundation.
You may even schedule your listings to start out at a sure time. So should you’re writing up your itemizing at 3am, you possibly can have it begin at a greater time so it ends when extra individuals are looking.
8. Organise your promoting round your life
Whether or not you’re promoting a few gadgets or dozens of containers of stuff, you’ll want to remain on prime of every thing. Use a calendar to mark when auctions are ending, and ensure you’ll be round to put up gadgets promptly.
If you happen to’re away from residence lots or possibly too busy to at all times go to the Put up Workplace, schedule listings to finish when it fits you. For instance, in case your solely free time is Saturday morning, have listings finish on Friday night so you possibly can put up them the subsequent day.
Mounted-price listings have sure benefits, however as they will promote at any time, you’ll have to ensure you’re at all times obtainable the subsequent day to put up issues.
If you happen to want extra flexibility, you possibly can regulate the postage settings in your itemizing to say it is going to be dispatched inside a few days as a substitute of sooner or later. However this would possibly flip some patrons away, particularly as most individuals are used to quick deliveries.
9. Put up gadgets ‘Recorded Supply’
That is a very powerful recommendation on this web page. If you happen to ship an merchandise recorded supply, you possibly can monitor its whereabouts.
This prevents any sellers claiming they haven’t obtained an merchandise. And whether it is misplaced, you might be lined by insurance coverage.
Some sellers additionally select to report packing movies to indicate the state the merchandise was in and the packing included. This may help battle false claims of poor packing inflicting harm, or the fallacious merchandise being despatched.
It’s vital to decide on the proper postage choices so {that a} purchaser is aware of how and when they may obtain the merchandise.
When posting an inventory, eBay has a helpful device which gives postage suggestions primarily based on how different sellers have posted gadgets like yours.
If there’s no advisable postage choice to your merchandise – otherwise you’d reasonably set your individual worth – you possibly can select your individual postage methodology. To get an thought of what you need to be charging, use eBay’s Postage Estimator. Royal Mail additionally has a Worth Finder device for determining the prices, each for the UK and overseas.
CollectPlus
You can too ship parcels to any UK tackle from a CollectPlus retailer (CollectPlus.co.uk), which implies you keep away from the prolonged queues on the Put up Workplace – and reduce prices. What’s extra, the 6,000 outlets that provide this service are all open late, seven days per week.
Examine
Additionally price a glance are parcel and postage comparability web sites equivalent to Interparcel.com, Parcelmonkey.co.uk or MyParcelDelivery.com. These websites purchase postage slots in bulk from huge courier corporations equivalent to UPS or DHL and promote them to the general public – saving you a bundle within the course of.
However keep in mind that you just’ll be coping with a intermediary firm, not the courier itself. So if issues go fallacious and wish sorting, you’ll have to go by way of the comparability web site which can take care of any inquiries, however will be extra time consuming than you would possibly assume.
Underestimating Postage Prices
Whereas low cost postage could appeal to extra patrons, at all times do not forget that underestimating postage prices can rapidly eat into your eBay earnings.
If you happen to’re flogging bigger gadgets that aren’t possible to put up, choose ‘native assortment solely’ and the customer might want to accumulate the merchandise in particular person.
11. Pack issues effectively
Be certain that you ship bought gadgets rigorously, as if it arrives damaged you will need to give the customer a refund.
What’s extra, should you go away shopping for your packaging till the final minute, you’ll find yourself forking out greater than vital. Lower prices and recycle used jiffy luggage and bubble wrap.
If you happen to should shell out for model new packaging, look on-line for the very best offers. Retailers equivalent to Amazon promote job a number of mailing luggage, which are available quite a lot of sizes, for as little as £3.
Pound outlets and different low cost shops are additionally nice for affordable packaging, whether or not it’s parcel paper or bubble envelopes.
12. Use a number of footage
With every itemizing, you possibly can listing as much as 12 photos free of charge. Benefit from this in order that potential patrons can see what you’re promoting.
Including a number of good-quality images to your itemizing that can assist you enhance gross sales and provides your patrons a extra correct thought of what to anticipate – and reassure them that you just’re a official vendor.
Intention for a well-lit, clutter-free, plain white background and at all times take images from a number of angles highlighting the situation of the merchandise. Be trustworthy about any imperfections (nicks and scratches, and so forth.)
A clear kitchen desk or counter could possibly be good choices. Use a plain white sheet if want be.
It’s additionally vital to ensure you listing your merchandise in the appropriate class; should you don’t, the possibility of a great sale goes down.
For an additional 35p charge, you possibly can listing your merchandise in two classes to maximise your merchandise’s visibility.
14. Construct your eBay fame
Constructing your eBay fame as a trusted vendor is essential in making money on the web market.
To construct your eBay fame, that you must get constructive suggestions from clients in an effort to get no less than 95% price as a trusted vendor. The easiest way to do that is to be the sort of vendor you’d need to purchase from your self. So, provide good customer support, describe the merchandise precisely, reply to queries inside 24 hours, and ensure you mail packages throughout the marketed interval.
Establishing and sustaining purchaser satisfaction helps you construct a strong fame as a reliable vendor on eBay, and in the end helps drive your gross sales exercise.
15. Make a couple of small eBay purchases
If you happen to’re a brand new vendor with little or no suggestions, patrons may be reluctant to make purchases from you.
So, earlier than you begin itemizing gadgets, you would possibly need to make a couple of small purchases to build up constructive suggestions, and to get used to the eBay course of.
Pay attention to issues like how they describe their gadgets, postage occasions, and packaging. See if you may get any inspiration, or notice something you’d do higher!
16. Reply to folks ASAP
Once you get questions on belongings you’re promoting, reply as quickly as you possibly can. If you happen to take days to answer, you would possibly miss out on a sale. Ideally reply inside 24 hours.
Having the app with notifications switched on may help you see messages a lot sooner.
17. Let folks know what you’re promoting on eBay
As soon as your itemizing goes reside, don’t simply sit again and hope for the very best.
Promote your gadgets in your social networks equivalent to Fb, Twitter, or Instagram.
Use related hashtags and get the phrase on the market. Additionally, let your family and friends know to allow them to unfold the phrase too.
18. Don’t overlook larger gadgets on eBay
Simply because one thing appears too giant, impractical, or costly to ship, it doesn’t imply you possibly can’t promote it. Merely provide the “assortment in particular person” choice – which means that the customer and vendor can discover a handy time for the merchandise to be picked up.
19. By no means underestimate what folks pays for
One man’s junk is one other man’s treasure. So even should you assume among the belongings you’ve received mendacity round are ineffective, assume once more!
Even damaged or not-working gadgets can promote for components or to fanatics. Generally should you promote a bundle of damaged electronics you can also make good cash on them. Simply at all times be trustworthy in regards to the situation of the merchandise.
20. Don’t quit
If at first you don’t succeed, attempt once more.
Relist unsold gadgets and tweak your posting to seize the eye of patrons. As an example, altering the title, including a greater description, and altering the format of your itemizing (purchase it now or auction-style) can all assist.
Take new images or add additional images to your itemizing. Images are completely key, so notice how different profitable eBayers are doing it and put within the effort!
Signal Up – E-newsletter
